History of Fitchburg Part 20 - Rufus Torrey 1836


Within the first few years after the incorporation of the
town, several new families selected it as their place of
residence.  It would be tedious to enumerate all these new
comers; but there is one who, by the influence which he
exerted over the affairs of the town in its infancy, by the
character which he helped to give it, and by the high
estimation in which he seems to have been held, merits a
more particular notice.

Thomas Cowdin, Esq. moved into Fitchburg in the July
following its incorporation.  He appears to have been one of
those persons who, without the advantages of birth,
education or fortune, unaided by the influence of patronage
or favor, but relying solely upon the energies of a sound
intellect and active mind, frequently elevate themselves to
a rank above their neighbors.

He was born in Stow, in 1720, and went as an apprentice to
the blacksmith's trade, to Marlborough, where he served his
time.  He then removed to Worcester, and commenced his
business on the main street.  He belonged to a company of
cavalry in that town.  Several years previous to the old
French war -- as it is called -- but at a time when the
Indians were exceedingly troublesome, he was pressed into
the service, and marched up to Charlestown No. 4, under the
command of one Captain Stevens.  Here it was his fortune to
encounter some dangers, and make some hair-breadth excapes
from the savages.  He was, on one occasion, selected to
convey some despatches from that place to Fort Dummer.  He
buckled them in his knapsack, and, accompanied by two other
soldiers commenced his dangerous journey.  They had not
proceeded many miles when on coming to the brow of a rather
abrupt precipice they looked down and beheld a very
interesting group of savages.  The latter perceived Cowdin
and his associates at the same instan, and sounded the
war-whoop in pursuit.  As they were obliged to make some
little circuit before they could climb the precipice, the
whites improved the opportunity to get the start.  Each of
the three wisely took a different direction.  Cowdin showed
the red men a light pair of heels, and escaped by dint of
running.  One of his comrades took a "bee line" for
Charlestown, where he arrived in safety, and gave the
information that Cowdin and his despatches were probably
taken.  The third, being slow of foot, finding it impossible
to escape his pursuers by running, crawled into some high
grass before they came in sight, and thus escaped unnoticed.
Cowdin bent his course for Ashulelot, (now Keene) where he
arrived unharmed.  From thence a compay of soldiers was sent
with him to Fort Dummer, where he delived his despatches.

On his return to Charlestown, he met companies which had
been sent in pursuit of him; and other despatches of the
same tenor had been sent forward to Fort Dummer, upon the
presumption that he had been taken and slain.

While he was at Charlestown, he was one of a detachment of
thirty men which was sent out to scour the woods of the
neightborhood, to see if a Indians were lurking in that
quarter.  In this detachment was also the famous
Chamberlain, who distinguished himself in that most boody
battle with the Indians, known as Lovell's fight, by killing
with his own hands the Indian chief, Paugus.

Chamberlain had a dog with him, which had been nurtured in
Indian wars.  He could "scent" an Indian as far as a common
dog could a pole-cat.  In this ramble the dog came speedily
in to his master.  Chamberlain looked in his face and read
his intelligence.  "Stop," says he, "my dog says the red
skins are near."  They halted, and in a moment they heard
the sound of an arrow whizzing by their heads.  They looked
about, and Chamberlain soon discovered the lurking foe.  He
fired, and in a moment the Indians in large numbers, rose
around them and fired.  The whites charged upon them and
they fled.  The scouring pary returned to he fort, having a
few of their number wounded.

Cowdin, in the capacity of sergent, was at the siege and
capture of Louisburg, and faced the enemy in the hottest of
the fight, when the place was attacked in 1745.

When the war broke out between England and France, in 1755,
Cowdin enlisted as ensign; and in that year he was engaged
in the expedition against Nova Scotia.  He served seven
years during this war, and rose to the post of captain.  Two
of these years he was employed in this state, for the double
purpose of forwarding invalid, when they had sufficiently
recovered to join the army, and for arresting deserters.

While engaged in this latter capacity an incident occurred
which serves very well to illustrate his determined
perseverance.  He had intimation of a certain deserter, who
was making his way towards the state of New York.  He
started in pursuit of the fugitive, and finally burrowed him
-- so to speak -- one Sunday morning, in a Dutch
meeting-house.  It was during devine service; but Cowdin
rushed in and seized upon him.  A scuffle ensued, much to
the amazemnet of the sedate congregation.  The fellow
attemped to kill his captor, but Cowdin succeeded in
overpowering and binding him.  He then brought his prisoner
from New YOrk to Boston for the purpose of putting him into
the castle; but on his arrival there, it was ascertained
that the soldier had last deserted from Crown Point, and
therefore Cowdin was ordered to convey him to the latter
place. This journey through the wilderness he accomplished
alone with his prisoner, who very well knew that death would
be his portion when deliverd over to the proper tribunal.
At Crown Point the prisoner was recognized as a man who had
enlisted and deserted, in a short space, no less than
thirteen times.  He was conveyed to Montreal and shot.

Such circumstances as these serve better, perhaps, than
other means, to set forth in its true light, the character
of one of the early pioneers, who, from the period when he
made this town his residence, to his death in 1792, took the
lead in its public arrairs.

(to be continued)

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